The present invention relates to a fuel feed apparatus, that includes a fuel pump provided in a fuel tank.
Conventionally, an in-tank type fuel feed apparatus is used for drawing fuel in a fuel tank and discharging the fuel. Here, a fuel pump is disposed in the fuel feed apparatus, which is in the fuel tank. According to JP-A-9-268956 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,051), a pump module is accommodated in a sub tank. The pump module includes a fuel filter surrounding the periphery of the fuel pump and the fuel pump. According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,741, a pump is accommodated in a canister. The pump directly draws fuel in the fuel tank through the filter which protrudes from the bottom area of the canister to the outside of the canister.
In a fuel feed apparatus according to the JP-A-9-268956, the fuel filter of the pump module is directly connected with the sub tank. Therefore, vibration of the fuel pump is transmitted to outside components from the fuel tank through the fuel filter, the sub tank and the fuel tank. Especially, vibration of the fuel pump is transmitted to the passenger compartment.
In a fuel feed apparatus according to the JP-A-9-268956, the upper side of the fuel pump is fixed to the canister using a spring, so that vibration of the fuel pump is not apt to be transmitted to the canister from its upper side. However, the suction port of the fuel pump fits to the canister, and the bottom section of the canister contacts the inner wall of the bottom section of the fuel tank, so that the vibration of the fuel pump may be transmitted to the fuel tank through the suction port and the canister.